Feb 4 Mirror Mirror On The Wall

We’re all here for the West African model, Deddeh Howard who snatched our hearts sprinkling Black Girl Magic on her recreation of famous photo shoots. She recreated photos of models like Gigi Hadid, Kate Moss & Kendal Jenner from major brands. The “Black Mirror Project” is a huge move towards creating more roles for African Americans in mainstream modeling and the fashion industry. In 2017 there is still a severe lack of African American models who are chosen for work that will be widespread.

Deddeh recounts walking into various agencies and being told there were already enough models similar to her. Howard says “It seemed as if one or two black models were enough to represent us all. When you are told that, trust me, it feels bizarre.”

While Naomi Campbell, Jasmine Tooks, and Tyra Banks are all well known for being some of the hottest black models in the industry, they are still a small portion. Deddeh teamed up with photographer Raffael Dickreuter to launch the ‘Black Mirror Project’. The goal of the project was to highlight the lack of diversity in the modeling world, while proving that black models could create the exact look.

Recently the museum at the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York announced its hosting of an exhibit called ‘Black Fashion Designers’. Hopefully this will create more room for conversation on the issue.

Nafisa Kaptownwala founded Lorde Inc. in 2014.Nafisa Kaptownwala was done watching many of her friends struggle to find work. Her modelling agency represents people with diverse ethnicities. Lorde Inc. now has offices in both New York and Toronto.

“The next generation can only get inspired and reach for the stars themselves if they believe they can do it too.” - Deddeh